Louise McPhetridge Thaden

Louise McPhetridge Thaden, original name in full Iris Louise McPhetridge (born Nov. 12, 1905, Bentonville, Ark., U.S.—died Nov. 9, 1979, High Point, N.C.) American aviator, holder of several speed and endurance records in the early years of competitive flying. Possibly the best-known female pilot of the 1930s after Amelia Earhart, she used her fame as a competitor to promote the status of women in aviation and to draw more women into the profession.

Louise McPhetridge was born the elder daughter of a salesman and a homemaker and grew up in rural surroundings. She attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville intermittently from ... (100 of 586 words)